SMS has become a drug courier for one year and delivered the illegal packages that were then traded in Medan City for 15 timesMedan, N Sumatra (ANTARA) - The Medan city police thwarted an attempt to trade 42 kg of crystal methamphetamine by three drug traffickers in the capital city of North Sumatra Province and arrested the trio, according to a police officer.
The suspects were identified by their initials as ZU (28), SMS (36), and IS (42), Medan City Police Chief Senior Commissioner Valentino Alfa Tatareda noted in a statement here, Saturday.
The crystal meth package was received by SMS from a drug lord in Malaysia, he remarked, adding that SMS was arrested while transporting the crystal methamphetamine on the Tebing Tinggi-Medan highway on Oct 25, 2022.
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The police officers, who launched the raid, seized 27 kg of crystal meth from SMS while another 15 kg of crystal meth were confiscated from ZU and IS, who were apprehended later, he remarked.
SMS told police investigators that he had obtained the drug package from a drug lord in Malaysia, Tatareda remarked.
"SMS has become a drug courier for one year and delivered the illegal packages that were then traded in Medan City for 15 times," he remarked.
The three suspects charged under Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics remain under police custody, pending further investigation, he added.
Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers as a significant number of its working-age population has become trapped in a vicious cycle of drug abuse.
According to a report by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), at least 50 Indonesians die of drug use daily in the country. However, this statistic has failed to deter drug use in the country.
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The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs come from different communities and socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
In February 2021, for instance, West Java Police's Internal Affairs Division (Propam) arrested 12 police officers for allegedly consuming narcotics.
Indonesia is perceived by both domestic and transnational drug dealers as a potential market due to its vast population and millions of drug users. The value of drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached nearly Rp66 trillion.
In response to the smuggling of illicit drugs by drug kingpins over the past few decades, the Indonesian government has continued to apply harsh punitive action against them.
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Translator: Nur ABS, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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